World | India
Kerala party to snap ties with opposition alliance
K. Muraleedharan, president of the Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran), DIC-K, yesterday warned the Left Democratic Front that the arrangements for power sharing in local bodies between them would not stand after the assembly polls.
- By Akhel Mathew, Correspondent
- Published: 23:32 May 3, 2009
Thiruvananthapuram: K. Muraleedharan, president of the Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran), DIC-K, yesterday warned the Left Democratic Front that the arrangements for power sharing in local bodies between them would not stand after the assembly polls.
Muraleedharan indicated this was likely to happen in the third week of May. That is when the new government would have been sworn in, following the assembly polls on April 22, 29 and May 3 in Kerala.
"In many of the village councils, the DIC(K) is in tie-up with the Left Democratic Front. Now that DIC(K) is a United Democratic Front ally, this position would be reviewed after the election," Muraleedharan said here.
That could lead to several village councils in Kerala witnessing a change of power, considering that the LDF had swept to power in the panchayat elections last year riding on the support of DIC(K) across the state.
Emphasising DIC(K)'s new alignment with the Congress-led UDF, Muraleedharan said his party and the UDF would work for each other in all 140 assembly segments in the state. He, however, added that a decision on the merger of DIC(K) with the Congress would be considered only after the elections.
Giving another indication about its commitment to the Congress-led UDF, DIC(K) also decided to eject four of its party members who had decided to contest as rebels without permission of the party. DIC(K) rebels in Kazhakoottam, Mala, Kanjirapally and Vamanapuram have been disowned by the party.
Meanwhile, Congress party's state unit president Ramesh Chennithala dared the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led LDF to make it clear, who its chief ministerial candidate would be if it won the election.
Taking a pot shot at the CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, Chennithala asked if Vijayan was being kept off the campaign trail because of his name being tainted in the SNC Lavalin-related corruption issue.
Chennithala said the UDF was clear that its chief ministerial candidate was Oommen Chandy and that there was no ambiguity as in the case of the LDF.
In Kozhikode, Indian Union Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty backed Chennithala's opinion, stating that Chandy was UDF's chief ministerial candidate. He said the ground support for the Chandy government was increasing by the day.
Share this article
News Editor's choice
-
Anti-terror force enlisted for Haj
Aerial surveillance to complement normal security operations
-
English to stay as medium of instruction
Lack of funding of scientific research in Arab world criticised
-
Global Village opens with a revamped layout
Four gates will have themes making it easier to find specific pavilions
